The Jamaican government rejected on Monday the reports linking the recent visit of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to the Port of Kingston with alleged U.S. military preparations against Cuba.
The clarification was made by Jamaican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamina Johnson-Smith, in response to the criticisms and speculations that arose following the five-day stopover by the vessel from June 1 to June 5.
According to the minister, cited by the local media Caribbean Life, the presence of the aircraft carrier was part of a regular maritime cooperation and goodwill program developed within the framework of the Southern Seas 2026 exercise, a regional collaboration initiative led by the United States.
"It is a scheduled visit to a port, within the framework of an established maritime cooperation and goodwill program," Johnson-Smith affirmed in a message released by Jamaican authorities.
The minister insisted that the visit was not related to any pressure or intimidation actions against Cuba and defended the activities carried out during the vessel's stay on the Caribbean island.
"United States has not concealed its might nor the possibility of resorting to force," he noted, while questioning theories that portray the buildup as a sign of an imminent military operation.
The controversy arose due to the geographical proximity between Jamaica and Cuba, separated by just about 90 miles, and the context of growing tension between Washington and Havana.
Speculation intensified after the USS Nimitz arrived in the Caribbean on the same day that U.S. authorities announced new legal actions related to the case of the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes that occurred in 1996.
Among those who questioned the Jamaican government's decision is Byron Blake, former head of trade for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), who expressed concern about the political implications of allowing the aircraft carrier to dock in Kingston.
Also, the law professor Neville Bissember from the University of Guyana raised questions about the role that Caribbean countries could play amid the tensions between the United States and Cuba, although he did not provide any evidence that there are ongoing military plans, the outlet The New York CaribNews reported.
For its part, the United States Embassy in Jamaica stated that the visit was part of Southern Seas 2026, a program that includes maritime cooperation and security exercises with several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the ship's stay in Kingston, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness visited the aircraft carrier and held meetings with senior officials from the U.S. Navy to discuss matters related to maritime security and bilateral cooperation.
The USS Nimitz, one of the most iconic aircraft carriers of the United States Navy, has accumulated over five decades of active service and continues to play a significant role in U.S. naval operations while preparations for its definitive replacement are underway.
The Jamaican government's reaction reflects the sensitivity that any U.S. military movement in the Caribbean continues to generate when it involves Cuba, especially in a context marked by new sanctions and increasing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Havana.
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